Pump for refrigerating systems



Nqv'.15,1932. LDU VFRN-Tv 1,887,752 f PUMPFOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS Fied Jan.4 11, 1932 amado@ A Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTfoFFICEZ. vi

FREDERICK H. nu VERNET, or HAMLTON, ONTARIO, emana Pun? Fon REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS Application ldanuary 111, 1,932.Y Serial No. 585,942.'

lo This type ofmotor and pump produces more or less noise, none of such um'ps being entirely noiseless and many ci) them especially when not entirely new, making very objectionable noises.

One important object of the present in-` vention is to provide an improved and novel form of pump foruse inconneetion with rerigerating systems and'wherein the opera- D tion, independently of the age of the device, will be substantially noiseless.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a novel form of pump'ior this purpose wherein the formation and condensation of steam from any volatile liquid will 2 effect pumping of a gas in therefrigerating apparatus proper. y

A third important object of the invention is to provide a novel pump ofpthis character wherein the evaporation of! the volatile liq'- c uid is effected byv thermo-electric means. Y

A fourth importantlobject of the invention is to provide a novelldevice of this Character wherein the thermo-electric Vmeans is antomatically and alternately rendered active and inactive.

With the above and otherobjects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter' fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically claimed. A Y

VIn the accompanying drawing the view shows a vertical section showing apump con-V structed in accordance with this invention.A

,In the embodiment of the inventionas herein shown'there is' provideda pair of vertical tubular members and 11 constitutinglpr'essure columns which are connected adjacent their lower endsv by a cross 'conduit 12 which may be welded securely in place.l lower ends of the columns 10 andll are closedby plugs 13 which support? bearingA yokes 14 carrying idler pulleys 15.4 The lower parts of the columns 10 and 11 and theconduit 12 are filledvwith a suitable liquid 16 suclras oil or the like and this liquid constitutes a'liquid piston which at the end-'in the e'olumnglO'receives the pressure of steam and at the kother ating system,V ALy float `17 floats on the fliquid in the column 10anda similar oat lfloats on the liquidiin thev column 11. A cord or other lexibleelement 19 connects these two ilioats and is trainedaround the idlerv pulleys The upper end of' the column 11 is closed by a plug20to which are attached nipples 21 forming an outlet and aninlet-v forv the top of the `column 11 andthe outlet'nipple carries an outwardly opening check valve 22 andthe inlet nipple carries VVan inwardly7 opening check valve 23, the supply andl exhaust ends of therefrigerator tube or pipe of the freezi ing'unit being connectedfto'these valves.

Adjacent the lower endwof the column 10 is a boiler 24 from' which extends a' steam .pipe'25' which ,leads upwardly alongsidethe columnlO. Y A.' plug 26 fits in the top of `the vend presses against,y the gas oxth-e reirige'r- '69 column 10' and screwed into this plug is the '80 lower end'of-a valve casing27 which is connected by a branchl pipe' 28 with the upper end of the pipe 25. Leadingirom this valve Y casing is a pipe29 which opens into a c'on- *denserV header 30. A slide valve 31 is fitted in thevalvecasing 27 to rest againstl the side from which the pipe 29 leads andtliis slide valve is provided with anopening 32 which,

.by the movement of the valve, may be brought into and out of registry with the pipe' 29, bev ing out of registry therewith when the valve is raised and in registry when the valve is lowered. A spring device 33 holdsthe valve 31 rmly onits seat. series of condenser pipes or tubes 34 connect the upperrhea'der A to the inlet side of a valve casing SZwhich has its outlet end connected to the boiler 24:y by anipple 38. In the casing 37de a valve 39 urged toward its seat by. a light spring-40. Extending through a suitableopening in of its movement.

`ating coil and the operation is automatic in regulation.

the float 17 is a rod 41 which is connected at its upper end to a lug 42 carried by the valve 33. Thelower end of this rod is provided with a collar 41 connected to a mercury switch 43 which is pivoted to a lug 44 projecting from the wall of the column 10 in Vsuch manner that the switch `is closedwhen the rodk is raisedand opened when the rod is lowered. An electric heating element 45A is mounted in the boiler 24 and has terminal connections 46 leading outside the boiler.

One of the terminals 46 isvconnected to one terminal of the switch 43 by a wire 47 and line wires 48 are connected to the remaining Vtacted with the lug 442 Vto close the valve 81 and raise the switch 43 and thereby close the latter. Under,- theseV conditions the oil in column 11 will be at its lowestle'vel and the major part of the column 11 will be lille-d with the refrigerant gas. Since the switch 43 kis closed, current will flowthrough the heater element `45 and the water, which is contained in the boiler will boil. Steam under pressure will now 4be generated and this will force the oil down inthe column 10 and up in the column 11 thereby compressing-and expelling the refrigerant gas. The checlr valve 39 will, of course, be closedduring thi part ofthe, operation. -As the oil drops in Vcolumn .10 the float also Vfalls until iinally it contacts with the collar 41 and pusliesthe rod 41 down. Thisfopens the switch43and valve 31. Now the steam vflows to the 'condenser and, the heater being cut out, no more steam is generated. The condensation of the (steam lowers the pressure in the column 10 below theV pressure in the column 11 so that the oil rises in column 10 and drops in column A11 which again fills with gas. IThe condensate passes the valve 39 as this occurs and Vthe boiler is again filled ready for the next cycle of operations which begins as soon as the float 17 :again reaches the upward limit It will be noted that the pressure of the gas flowing intothe-column 11-is caused by the absorption of heat by theggas in passing through the refrigerating coil or unit and :that the greater the vheat externally ofthe coil the faster theV pressure willV develop.

Thus, the downflow of oil in column 11 is controlled in time by the load on the refriger Vmade in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form here shown and described, but it is desired to scope claimed.`

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as iiew','is: Y

1. AA pumpof thekind described, including a pair of vertical pressure columns connected at their; lower' ends, a liquid .piston partially filling4 said 'columns and their connection, means alternately to: supply steam under pressure to the upper end of onef vof said columns and meansto condense the supplied steam,:and inlet. and outlet valves at the upper end'of thev remainingcolumn for connection toa refrigerator unit.

include Vall such as properlypcoine within the 2.V A pump'of the `lrind described,iinclud i ling apair ofrverticalpressure columns connected attheir lower ends, la liquid piston partially lling saidcolurnns and their yconnection, inlet androutletfvalves at the upper end of one of the columns for connectionto a refrigerator unit, `means for intermittently v'supplying steam to the upper end ofthe remaining column, a condenser connectedl to the upper end ofthe lastl mentioned column,

a condenser valve controlling llowy of steam from said last column, and means for opening said valve in alternation withA the supply of steam to the column and closing the valve in unison with the. supply of steam. i I V3. A pump of the kind described, .includ- 'ing ya pair vof vertical pressure columns connected at their lower ends, aliquid piston partially filling said columns and their connection, inlet andt outlet valves at the upper end of. one of the columns for connectionto y A a refrigerator-unit, means yfor intermittently supplyingv steamto the upperend of theremaining column, acondenser connectedA to the upper-end of the lastementioned column.

a condenser valve controlling flow of steam from said last column, a float in said last col'- umn, avalve operating rod passing through the float connected to the condenser valve,

Vsaid condenser valve being arranged to'open uponA downward movement o f the rodv and close upon upward `movement thereof, and a attheir lower ends, a liquid piston partially A filling said columns and their connection,

inlet "andfoutlet valves at the upper end `of one of the columns foriconnectionto a refrig- .eratorunit,v a steam boiler, a pipe connection between said boiler and the upper end of the remainingy column, means for intermittently Generating steam in said boiler, and means or exhausting steam from the column alternately with its generation in the boiler.

5. A pump of the kind described, including a pair of vertical pressure columns connected at their lower ends, a liquid piston partially illing said columns and their connection, inlet and outlet valves at t-he upper end of one of the columns for connection to a refrigerator unit, a steam boiler, Va pipe connection between said boiler and the upper end of the remaining -`column, an electric heating unit in said boiler, means for alternately turning current on and oli of said unit, and means for exhausting steam from the boiler arranged to operate during the time the current is turned off.

6. A pump of the kind described,'including a pair of vertical pressure columns connected at their lower ends, a liquid piston partially filling said columns and their connection, inlet and outlet valves at the upper end of one of the columns for connection. to a refrigerator unit, a. steam boiler, a pipe connection between said boiler and the upper end of the remaining column, an electric heating unit 1n said boil-er, a switch for said unit in said last column, a rod connected to said switch and arranged to close the switch as the rod is raised and to open the switch as the rod is lowered, a float in said last column through which the rod passes, and spaced stop means on said rod on opposite sides of the float for engagement by the float to move the rod.

7 A pump of the kind described, including a pair of vertical pressure columns connected at their lower ends, a liquid piston partially filling said columns and their connection, inlet and outlet valves at the upper end of one of the columns for connection to a refrigerator unit, a steam boiler, a pipe connection between said boiler and the upper end of the remaining column, an electric heating unit in said boiler, a switch for said i unit in said last column, a rod connected to said switch and arranged to close the switch as the rod is raised and to open the switch as the rod is lowered, a iioat in said last column through which the rod passes, spaced step means on said rod on opposite sides of the float for engagement by the loat'to move the rod, and means for exhausting steam from the boiler and arranged to operate upon each opening of the switch.

8. A pump of the kind described, including a pair of vertical pressure columns connected at their lower ends, a liquid piston partially filling said columns and their connection, inlet and outlet valves at the upper end of one of the columns for connection to a refrigerator unit, a steam boiler, a pipe connection between said boiler and the upper end of the remaining column, an electric heating unit in said boiler, a switch for said unit in said last column, a rod connected to said Aswitch and arranged to close the switch ask the rod is raised and to open the switch as the rod is lowered, a float in said last column through which the rod passes, spaced stop Vmeans on said rod on oppositesides ofthe float Yfor engagement by the float to move the ing a pair of vertical pressure columns connected at their lower ends, a liquid piston partially lling said columns and their connection, inlet and outlet valves at the upper end of one of the columns for connection to a refrigerator unit, a steam boiler, a pipe connection between said boiler and the upper end of the remaining column, an electric heating unit in said boiler, a switch for saidunit in said last column, a rod connected to said switch and arranged to close the switch as the rod is raised and to open the switchvas the rod is lowered, a float in said'last column through which therod passes, spaced stop means on said rod on opposite sides of the float for engagement by the float to move the rod, a condenser having pipe communication with the upper end of the last column, a valve controlling the communication between the column and condenser, said valve being connected to said rod and closing as the rod rises and opening as the rod is lowered, a 'J pipe connecting said condenser and boiler, and a check valve in said last pipe opening toward the boiler.

InV testimony whereof he has aiiixed his signature.

` FREDERICK H.v DU VERNET. 

